Salesman accused of raping customer

Police say a convicted murderer used his job as a car salesman in Sandy to track a female customer to her home and rape her.

Cleon Jones, 34, was arrested Wednesday on multiple first-degree felonies and remains in the Salt Lake County Jail without bail.

Authorities allege Jones tracked down his victim by using her credit application to obtain her personal information including her address, said West Valley Police Capt. Tom McLachlan.

A man showed up at the victim's West Valley apartment shortly after 7 p.m. on Feb. 6. After the woman opened the door, the man forced his way in with a gun and raped her, McLachlan said.

"He threatened the victim, said he had her family's address," McLachlan said. "He said he'd kill them if she called police."

According to the probable cause affidavit on Jones' arrest, after the man allegedly raped the woman, he told her to get dressed and "to get a box and go with him. He also made her wrap the box in a white sheet. He then forced her into his car and told her he was going to kill her."

The woman pleaded for her life and the man eventually conceded and dropped her off at the entrance to her apartment complex, according to the record. But he told her he would kill her and her family if she went to police "because he did know where they lived due to his employment and his having access to a credit application she had completed with the business," the affidavit said.

Early Wednesday morning, investigators served a search warrant at Jones' apartment.

Detectives found out Jones had an arrest warrant issued in California for a parole violation. He also served time in a California prison for murder, McLachlan said.

In addition to being a fugitive, Jones was arrested on the new case for investigation of several first-degree felonies, including aggravated rape, forcible sodomy, drug possession with intent to distribute and a restricted person in possession of a firearm.

Inside the apartment, investigators found individual packages of cocaine, a handgun reported stolen in Elko, Nev., and personal items from the victim's apartment, McLachlan said.

Jones was a salesman at Stockton to Malone Honda, 10860 Automall Drive (120 West) until he left his job Feb. 10 for an unknown reason, McLachlan said.

A spokeswoman for the dealership confirmed Jones no longer works there. The dealership is aware of the arrest but declined additional comment.

All sales personnel at car dealerships in Utah are required to be licensed by the state, which includes a background check.

Jones first got a license in April 2003 when he was first employed at Stockton to Malone, according to the Utah Division of Motor Vehicle Enforcement.